N.C. Fire Chief Killed in Crash With Tractor-Trailer

MAXTON, N.C. -- A volunteer fire chief and president of the Robeson County Firemen's Association was killed Sunday night while responding to a wreck on Interstate 74, the Highway Patrol said.

Samuel Butler, 52, chief of the Evans Crossroads department, died about 10 p.m. when his Toyota was hit by a tractor trailer about six miles east of Maxton at Exit 197 Cabinet Shop Road, according to a report filed by Trooper M.J. Miles.

Department members were responding to an accident in the westbound lanes of the highway, the report said.

Butler came down the exit ramp for the eastbound lanes and was making a U-turn to cross the median, the report said.

That was when an eastbound 18-wheeler driven by Robert Barrett of Malden, Mass., slammed into Butler's car, the report said.

Butler was pronounced dead at the scene.

No charges will be filed, according to the report.

Butler, a firefighter for about 30 years, was named as chief of Evans Crossroad department in January 2010.